There are some hidden dangers in that afternoon by the water.

1. Children Are at the Highest Risk of Drowning

1. Children Are at the Highest Risk of Drowning

Fact.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages one to four have the highest drowning rates. Alarmingly, nearly one in three deaths from accidental injury come from drowning. And, for every death by drowning in those age 14 and under, there are four visits to emergency rooms for near-drownings, which can result in lifelong injury, including permanent brain damage.

What you can do:

• Whenever young children are swimming, an adult who knows how to perform child CPR should be supervising at arms length.

• If your home has a pool, it should be fenced in on four sides, which reduces risk of drowning during unsupervised swimming by more than 80%.

• After supervised swimming is done, clear the area of pool toys to remove the temptation for children to return to the pool unsupervised. Most drowning deaths among young children happen at times when parents are nearby, but a child visits the pool alone.

2. Boys and Girls are Equally at Risk of Drowning

2. Boys and Girls are Equally at Risk of Drowning

Myth.

Four in five drowning victims are boys or men, according to CDC drowning statistics. Research has shown that boys and men are more likely to be over-confident in their swimming abilities, and younger adults are more likely than older adults to be over-confident.

What you can do:

• Enroll your children in swimming lessons at an early age. The risk of drowning is decreased by nearly 90% when children aged one to four years participate in formal swimming lessons. Adults, too, can benefit from refresher courses.

• Be aware that adult supervision of young swimmers is still essential even if they've had good swimming lessons.